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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

City of Galveston Prepares for Mardi Gras! Galveston

City of Galveston Prepares for Mardi Gras! GalvestonGalveston, Texas - The City of Galveston welcomes revelers to the island for Mardi Gras
2009. Mardi Gras! Galveston will run from February 13 through February 24, 2009. Please
note the street closures, parking guidelines, public safety information, and vendor news.

First Weekend – Street Closures
Downtown Entertainment District:
Prior to Friday, February 13th, No Parking signs will appear downtown alerting the public about
weekend street closures. Crews from Public Works will close intersections in the late afternoon
and by 5:00 p.m. Strand will be open to pedestrian traffic only from Harborside to Mechanic,
20th to 25th Streets.

Seawall Parade Routes:
Parades are scheduled to begin at noon on Saturday, February 14th. Access streets leading to
Seawall between 10th and 69th Streets will be barricaded from 10:30 a.m. to as late as 10:00
p.m. that night. Vehicles will be directed westbound away from the parades.

Second Weekend – Street Closures
Downtown Entertainment District:
Prior to Friday, February 20th, No Parking signs will appear downtown alerting the public about
weekend street closures. Starting at 2:00 p.m. crews from Public Works will close
intersections and by 5:00 p.m. Strand and Mechanic will be open to pedestrian traffic only
from Harborside to Market, 20th to 25th Streets.

Seawall Parade Routes:
Saturday, February 21st:
To accommodate several parades street closures along Seawall Blvd. will begin at 8:30 a.m.
on Saturday, February 21st. Please note the following traffic schedule:

West-bound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd. between 16th and 19th Streets from
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in that
area.

East and west-bound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd between 25th and 33rd Streets
from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in
that area.

East and west-bound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd between 16th and 29th Streets
from 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Access streets leading to Seawall will be barricaded in
that area.

Additionally, 25th Street from Seawall Blvd. to Market will be closed from 4:30 p.m. to
10:00 p.m. to safely allow for the night parade.

Sunday, February 22nd:
To accommodate two parades east and west-bound traffic will be closed on Seawall Blvd.
between 25th and 53rd Streets from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Access streets leading to Seawall
will be barricaded in that area.
Fat Tuesday – Street Closures
On Tuesday, February 24th, Public Works crews will close streets inside the Downtown
Entertainment District at 5:30 p.m. in anticipation of the Fat Tuesday Parade. The area
Harborside to Church, 18th to 26th Streets will be closed for the festivities. All streets will reopen no later than 11:00 p.m.
Seawall Parking
There will be a number of areas along the Seawall designated as no parking zones or restricted
access areas. The City reminds all revelers to take note of these areas when parking their
vehicles.
Available parking spots along Seawall are likely to fill up rapidly in anticipation of Seawall
parades. The Galveston Police Department reminds residents and visitors of parking protocol:
do not try to cover space with anything other than a properly registered vehicle or trailer.
Cones, chairs, ropes, chains and the like will be removed at the owners’ expense.

Public Safety
Maintaining public safety throughout the Mardi Gras celebration is a priority for the City of
Galveston. General safety suggestions include:

Stay aware of your surroundings

Exercise caution

Keep track of personal belongings

Use your common sense

Be mindful that event areas will be crowded and offer opportunities for those who might be
inclined to indulge in criminal behavior. Exercise common sense to reduce your vulnerability to crime.

As stated in the Mardi Gras section of the City Code, glass and silly string are strictly prohibited.
The police will operate a Mobile Command Station on 22nd Street between Market and
Mechanic for the duration of the weekend. For emergencies, please dial 9-1-1. For nonemergencies, please call police dispatch at (409) 765-3702. The City of Galveston will not open its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for Mardi Gras this year.
Until the next nap time...

About Me

As a working mother of an independent (almost) 9-year-old daughter & 1-year-old son, I research Houston-area family activities and share our thoughts here and in my book 100+ Activities for Houston Kids. I also share regular comments on parenting. Additionally, I am the president of Tell Your Tale, LLC., a marketing and design firm in Houston.